Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina is observed on March 1 and commemorates the anniversary of the 1992 independence referendum, where 99.7% of voters supported the country's sovereignty. The holiday is celebrated primarily in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Republika Srpska has its own national day, Republic Day, on January 9. The referendum was marked by significant ethnic tensions, with Bosniaks and Croats favoring independence while most Serbs opposed it. Following the referendum, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence on March 3, 1992, and received international recognition on April 6. The parliament of the Federation proclaimed March 1 as Independence Day in February 1995, and it was first celebrated that same year. While the day is officially recognized as a public holiday in the Federation, it symbolizes the complex historical and ethnic landscape of the country.